title: Disclosure of cancer diagnosis: the Greek experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the attitude of Greek health professionals towards truth disclosure and factors that may influence it.
  
  
  METHODS
  Through a self-completed questionnaire, we studied the attitudes over the initial disclosure of cancer diagnosis to cancer patients of 132 doctors and 123 nurses, partly involved in cancer patients' care, in 5 general hospitals of Crete, Greece.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-nine percent of the participants considered information as patient's right and 88% as professional's ethical duty, 64% believed that the whole truth should be revealed, 90% avoided the word "cancer" in the communication and 39% disclosed cancer diagnosis at patient's direct asking. Respondents informed 1/10 of their new cancer patients, mainly due to perceived limited responsibility (23%), patient's low cognitive state (22%), fear of harming the patient (17%) and relatives' objection (15%). Sixteen percent of fellows acknowledged to themselves the responsibility to inform patients. Cooperation, compliance and arrangement of patient's personal issues were considered as benefits from accurate disclosure (88%, 83% and 75%, respectively), the latter more among doctors than nurses (p=0.01) and medical than surgical professionals (p=0.03). Thirty-six percent of the respondents considered the presence of a psychologist necessary during disclosure, nurses more than doctors (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite adequate theoretical background, Greek non-cancer specialists, doctors and nurses, initially inform accurately a small part of their cancer patients. Appropriate training programs for doctors and non-medical health professionals involved in cancer patients' management are required to upgrade professional-patient communication.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology Unit, "Venizeleio-Pananeio) General Hospital of Herakleion, Herakleion, Greece.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsoussis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papadogiorgaki
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Markodimitraki
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Delibaltadakis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Strevinas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Psyllakis
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tabakaki
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Drossitis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kabourakis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Papadimitraki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krypotos
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Daskalakis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fragiadaki
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zoumadaki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Apostolakis
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003142:Communication; D003219:Confidentiality; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D024382:Professional Role; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014342:Truth Disclosure